FF7 Timeline: Cloud
by Admiral Andalite
Summary: Cloud's story. For those of you who read the original first chapter, read again. It's been revamped and rewritten, better than the old one. For everyone else, This is Cloud's story covering FF7, preFF7, KH1, and KH2. Rated T for swearing.
1. The Journey Begins

**Final Fantasy VII is not mine. If it was, I'd be the happiest guy in the world, seeing how it is the most awesome thing on the planet. Call me obsessed. Go ahead, I do. I'm obsessed, and I know it. I also do not own Kingdom Hearts I, or Kingdom Hearts II.**

**Author's Note: This is a rewrite of the original first chapter for this story. After I wrote it I found out it was a piece of crap right from the start. I'd explain what made it crap, but you probably already knew, if you read the original chapter. If not, it doesn't matter, because it was crap, and this is better, OK?**

**P.S. - The first part of this story goes quickly between the chapters, because of the obvious lack of concrete information. The parts covered by the game, and by the movie, and by the Kingdom Hearts series will be covered in detail, so don't expect this story to end anytime soon. If I don't update after a while, leave a review if you want me to update, as I will probably be distracted. Review, and I'll get my butt back on track and update within a week of recieving the review. If you're still reading my notes and not enjoying the story, than I thank you and apologize for taking your time, so I'll shut up and let you enjoy my story. Remember, If I screw something up, tell me. I haven't been able to play the game for several years, and I've never played Tactics or Dirge of Cerberus. Be nice and please don't flame.**

**Cloud: Shut up and let them read the story!**

**Admiral Andalite: Ok, Ok, shutting up. Commence story reading, please.**

**Cloud: Finally! I thought he'd never shut up!**

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Chapter One Training Begins

"Attention! All new recruits are to report to the mess hall immediately. Repeat, all new recruits are to report to teh mess hall immediately."

I rose from my bed. The day wasn't over yet. Oh, well.

Today was my first day of official Shin-Ra training. I had been assigned my quarters the previous day, and given the brief and precise tour of the facility and grounds along with the other new recruits. Not that there was much of a "grounds" in Junon, just a set of fields near the edge of the lower city kept for training purposes. I had been out there today, doing basic warm-ups with the other recruits. There were also other exercises, to see each recruits capabilities. Nobody was very impressive. And even after all of that, they still wanted something more from the recruits. I sighed. Better get it over with.

I entered the mess hall quickly, as my quarters were only a minute's walk away. My roommate, Zephyr, was already there, he had been quite keen to eat when they were dismissed from the "drills". Zephyr was one of those people who had a naturally strange color. Who knew one could naturally have blue hair? But he did, and always wore it relatively short, except for the rather long lock that hung over his right eye. He fancied a red shirt and long denim shorts. He also wore a denim jacket with no sleeves. Zephyr claimed that he ripped them off, as the sleeves weren't comfortable. I figured he got the vest like that. Who buys a full jacket, just to rip the sleeves off?

Seeing as Zephyr was the only person I knew at this point, that was who I sought out and sat with. In the next five minutes, the rest of the recruits filtered in, sitting down to await whatever required them to postpone sleeping. After five minutes, the lights of the mess dimmed, and a figure moved to the front of the mess, in front of the cafeteria. It was the director of the facility, although no one knew his name. There was a rumore that no one under him knew his name, only his equals and superiors. In any case, everyone simply called him Director. It seemed a heartless title, but maybe he preferred it that way. The Director cleared his throat, and everyone turned to him.

"Recruits. It's good to see you've arrived with punctuality. Excellent. I require punctuality with all of your duties. Now, You've been brought here to recieve the assignments that will shape the nature of your training for the next year. The examinations you took earlier today have been evaluated, and now your training will be molded to make up for weaker performances, and to accentuate your strong points. There are three training "shifts", as I like to call them. Each shift is eight hours long, and is meant to accomodate all trainees at once with a smaller staff. Now, here's how each shift will work. A bell will ring an hour before each shift is to begin. This is to give you time to prepare, such as eating, etc. Another bell will signal the beginning of the shift. The shifts are named A, B, and C. Roommates will be placed in the same shift, so that they may assist each other in waking up if need be. Now, I shall announce the members of each shift. Listen carefully, as I shall not repeat names."

The Director pulled out a sheet of paper, and began to read.

"The members of shift A will include: Gurin, Arin; Ren, Wellen; Strife, Cloud; Winsen, Zephyr..."

After my name was announced, I tuned out the rest of the names. I now knew what shift I was in, so the other names didn't really matter.

Zephyr took the opportunity to open his mouth. "Shift A is in the morning. You know, "normal" hours."

I nodded. I could've learned that at my liesure. Besides, the Director would've mentioned it. In fact, he did, when he revealed the names of all who would be in A Shift. The shift would begin promptly at 0800, and lasted for eight hours. Then came B Shift, and then C Shift, before A Shift was up again. The Director, when finished with the lists, announced the end of his speech. Since A Shift would start the next morning, he dismissed them all, saying that the next eight hours would be the longest break they would have for quite awhile.

Zephyr and I both headed for our quarters, suddenly wanting to sleep. I was silent, but Zephyr was showing unrestrained enthusiasm, already claiming he'd be the best. I just shook my head, and walked on.

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I jerked upright as a series of bells anounced the impending beginning of Shift A. Zephyr had already awaken, and was getting ready to leave.

"Hey, Cloud. Get up! You want to eat last?" He found this amusing, and left, laughing his way to mess.

I got out of bed, dressing hurriedly. It would be a bad idea to screw up your first day of training by being late. Contrary to Zephyr's statement, I was one of the first to enter the line of the cafeteria. I was served, than sat down with Zephyr, who simply looked at his food. "Today's menu: Shin-Ra slop with a side of toast." Great. Zephyr was a morning person, and the class clown. Would I have to deal with this EVERY day? I looked at my meal, and realized it did indeed look like slop. Only the toast was really recognizable for what it really was. They can train soldiers for the greatest army in the world, but they can't cook worth a damn. Hmmm... Nope. Can't ignore it. Gotta eat it sooner or later. Believe it or not, it didn't taste that bad. It wouldn't be my first choice, but at least I won't have to gag every time I smell it. The half hour leeway time quickly disappeared and I found myself running to the training fields. When the bell rang to signify the start of Shift, I was standing in line at attention with the other recruits. As soon as our instructor, Lieutenant Carn, arrived at one end of our line, he began talking.

"Ladies, welcome to your first day of real life! I'm Lieutenant Carn, and I'll be your formal instructor for the next year. You don't like it, tough shit, you're stuck. Now, everyone drop and give me fifty!"

As we all dropped, I decided that I didn't like Carn. Not surprising. It must be in the instructor's job requirments: Must be a total asshole with a knack for calling recruits "ladies". Oh, great. Making jokes. Not a good way to go. Zephyr would never let one like that go, he'd already pegged me as the one who kept his mouth shut, 24/7, and didn't give a damn about anything else. Truth be told, he wasn't too far off the mark, if his interpretation of my reasons were screwed to hell.

_'Just because you're insecure, and afraid of retaliation if you opened your hole.'_

Damn. That voice again. I thought I was done with it. That voice has plaqued me since that incident on Mt. Nibel. My conscience? Guilt, maybe? Try both. The voice has been with me as I listened to the insults and threats of the adults, blaming me for the accident. And it was still trying to simultaneously make me think the accident WAS my fault, and bringing me out of my self-imposed indifference. As Carn's count continued, I thought back to that day. I relived the fear, the helplessness I felt as I watched her fall. My shame at not being able to prevent it, and my anger at having the blame thrust on me by angry adults. My sadness as I watched her, hoping she'd recover soon. My only friend, and I'd let her down. That was when the voice, born of my guilt, started to torture me endlessly. I made the decision to join Shin-Ra after that, so that I could escape the angry glares cast in my direction when they saw me, the hurt in her eyes as I was forced to stay away from her. Eventually, she found a way for us to communicate. She told me that, no matter what her parents said, she didn't blame me, that we were still friends.

After a while, her parents lessened their restrictions on our contact when they found out I was joining Shin-Ra. She asked me to meet her by the well, the night before I left. When she asked me to promise, I remembered the accident, and the voice assaulted me again, but it still only tried to make be believe the accusations thrust at me. My silence after she asked was due to my struggle with the voice. My answer was slightly strained, daring the voice to pop up again.

As the count reached fifty, we all stood, and Carn moved us on to running drills. After that, familiarizing with one's weapon. As Cloud ran, and later, went over every square inch of Shin-Ra's standard military firearm, I continued to think about her. She was a friend who stood by me when everyone else shunned me. Young love? A crush? Uh-uh, no way. She was a friend, nothing more. The only person who believed me, trusted me, but still, just a friend. She had her pick of guys to date. She didn't need me for love, and I didn't care. Being her friend was enough.

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I dwelled on these thoughts for the rest of the day, on what her friendship meant to me, how it withstood the accident, her parent's criticism, and my own unresolved guilt. I numbly followed everyone as the shift ended, and we were to be sized for uniforms. I accepted my two sets of Shin-Ra garb, listened to the regulation of wearing them to shift from now on, changing uniforms every week, changing to everyday wear between shifts, and so on, without really listening. During the evening meal, Zephyr saw my obvious distraction, and asked "Wat's on your mind?" When I didn't answer, he left me alone. The voice crept up again. I ignored it. It kept pushing, and soon developed into a headache. I walked to my quarters, and lay down, falling asleep, with her face in my mind. My dreams that night shifted constantly, from reliving the accident, to replaying other moments of home. Eventually my thoughts drifted to the times when she talked about her ideal wedding. Then I was standing in a church, watching as she was wedded to some guy. The it rewound, and she was wed again, but to someone else. Each time a thought in the back of my mind wished that thee man standing beside her was me. Suddenly, I was. As the line, "You may kiss the bride" was spoken, she turned to me. I saw her smile, one of happiness. Then my reason cut in, screaming at me with a thousand voices. It wouldn't happen. She was my friend, nothing more. I wouldn't do that. I couldn't. Why would she want me, anyway? She could have anybody she wanted, and she certainly didn't want me. I was her friend, and I knew that neither of us wanted to go further than that. As these thoughts raged, the picture of happiness faded. Was it my imagination, or did her smile of bliss change to a look of hurt, and sadness? Was my mind playing tricks on me, or was I seeing the glistening of tears in the corners of her eyes? Was because of my being there, or of my retreat into my own mind? As all my dreams faded, the voice taunted me again.

_'She may not hate you, but she won't ever like you more than a friend. You know that. She may stay as your friend, but you know that your future and hers do not go one that way. In all of your mind, you know it's true.'_

And I did. At once it pained me, but also calmed me. She was my friend. Anymore than that, and I would cause her pain. Any less than that, and I would be the one in pain. The friendship was the balance between my despair, and hers. Tifa Lockhart was the balance. As I realize this, my troubled rest calms into a deep sleep, dreaming of our friendship in the years to come, hoping it would stay that way forever.


	2. Endings and Beginnings

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII! I own a story that is based off of it, nothing more. 

For those of you who care to read the parts before the chapters: This chapter takes place about eight months after the previous one. This is so I don't bore you with Cloud's training, making it sound more like a military fic than Final Fantasy. So let's skip the boring stuff, and go to the parts that actually mean something.

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Chapter Two Endings and Beginnings

Ths sword flashed in front of me, and I blocked instantly. Undeterred, the bearer swung around, his weapon whistling even faster. I met him with equal force, causing his blade to bounce back. My opponent used that momentum to raise his sword, intending to slice me from head to toe. Instead of blocking, I used my sword to parry, sending his weapon off to the side, his body thrown slightly off balance as he tried to keep his grip on the sword. My body continued the twist, and I found myself with my weapon against my enemy's exposed throat.

"Match! Strife, the kill is yours. Congratulations. Next up, Winsen!"

My opponent, Arin Gurin, saluted, picked up his sword, and stepped off the platform. Zephyr took his place, a challenge all over his face. I knew why. In the past eight months, we had never fought. We were never paired as sparring partners during training, and we'd never tested each other after shift. Zephyr claimed to already have skills with a sword. He certainly had practice holding one. He owned his own sword, and brought it with him. He was allowed to train with it, considering it fell within the guidelines for a Shin-Ra melee weapon. It was slightly shorter than a Shin-Ra sword, but thicker, wider. It required a bit more control, but offered more power. It's hilt was designed with a phoenix, similar to the phoenix crest that adorned the chain around his neck. He said that both were heirlooms of his family. He always wore the phoenix chain, even while in uniform. It didn't distract him or anyone else in the shift, as it was always safely tucked away, out of sight, out of mind, and out of the way. As long as it didn't cause problems, Lieutenant Carn let him keep it with him.

Zephyr faced me, pulling out the crest, and whispered to it. Praying for strength, luck, victory, or some combination, most likely. He tucked the chain away again, and looked at me again, fire in his eyes. I knew my eyes shown with the same resolve. This would be our first match, and the one that would determine our standings. If he won, he'd gloat about it to no end. If I won, he'd call it beginner's luck, then somehow ask for informal training from me without actually asking, pleading, or begging, thus saving his pride.

Zephyr and I gave each other the formal salute, announcing to all present that this was a nonlethal duel, and any injuries would be purely accidental. Our goal was simply to best our opponent, not injure, maim, dismember, incapacitate, kill, or otherwise cause physical harm to them. Zephyr pulled his sword up to eye level, hovering off the right side of his head, pointing the tip of the blade straight at me. His left arm was held in front of him, ready to block or deflect an incoming blow. He shifted his right foot backwards, only the side of his body facing me. He called it his "signature pose". I didn't feel the need to have one, so I didn't have one. Instead I went with the default Shin-Ra posture, as I had done since melee training began. I held my sword out before me, ready to defend or strike as needed.

A slight change to his breath, and a slight bend to his knees are my only warnings, as he launches himself toward me. His sword is held at an angle, so I can't tell how he'll attack. I turned my sword horizontal, with the tip leveled toward him. My upper body thrusts, blocking whatever stroke Zephyr would have used. The impact gives my sword more leverage, and the tip moves toward Zephyr's throat. Zephyr twitches, sees the blade, and shifts his weight. His head passed underneath my sword, and his own sword left mine, causing me to lose balance. Zephyr's movement continues, and he swings back around, his sword dragging the ground, readying for an upward slash. I use my unbalanced momentum to twist away from the attack, and I lunge toward Zephyr's unprotected back. I hear a clang, and I see his sword once again meeting my own. I didn't even see him move. Zephyr saw the confusion in my eyes, and smirked.

"Faster than you expected, right? Well, watch this!"

He backed off, adjusting his balance before striking again. As I blocked, he was already moving his arm, changing the sword's position as he attacked again. He strikes again and again, faster than I've ever thought him to be. The only reason he never hit me is because as he began each new slash, I watched his eyes. Just before he changed slashes, his eyes shifted ever so slightly to the area he was going to strike next. As soon as I caught the movement, my sword adjusted, barely meeting his. His eyes eventually showed his frustration, and his exhaustion became noticeable as his attacks slowed, and became strained. It was about time, as my own muscles were tiring from the rapid fire blocking. We both suddenly backed away from each other, both of us readying for a final charge. With a yell from our throats, we leapt. A loud metallic ringing suddenly filled my ears, making me shut my eyes and wince at the offending sound. As it faded, I opened my eyes, meeting Zephyr's. We glanced at our weapons, noting that they were locked once again. We both glared into the other's eyes, waiting for a concession. Neither of us were willing to give in. We intended to finish this fight. A horn blast caused us both to glance back to the compound. We both backed up, lowering our weapons. The speakers blared with the Director's voice.

"All recruits and personnel, report to the mess hall at once. I repeat, all recruits and personnel, report to the mess hall immediately."

Zephyr groaned as he sheathed his sword. "Man, and I was about to whip you!"

A sight and a disbelieving shake of my head was the only response I gave him as I tucked away my own sword and began walking back to the compound. Zephyr caught up to me.

"Come on, Cloud! I was going to beat you and you know it. Admit it! I'm a better swordsman than you!"

Another recruit spoke up. "So good, you weren't able to touch him with your 'extremely awesome' speed attacks?"

A slight blush crept up his neck as he tried to defend himself. "He just got lucky, y'know?"

The recruit started chuckling. "So lucky, he blocked every single attack you threw at him?"

The blush spread to his cheeks as he tried to hide his face. Embarrasment and a hint of anger was added to his next sentence. "You owe me a rematch, Cloud. We'll see who's better."

A hearty laugh erupted from everybody, each person thinking about asking when and where the rematch would take place. We entered the compound through the door that lead directly to the mess hall. Other recruits were arriving from dorms and other locations. All other staff came from the officer's quarters on the other side of the compound. Everyone gathered in a central courtyard, the staff and official Shin-Ra soldiers standing in a line behind a raised podium. We, the recruits, arrayed ourselves in a semi-circle facing the podium. The courtyard was just barely enough to contain the several hundred recruits that were currently in training.

I stood beside Zephyr, and the recruit that had laughed at Zephyr's inability to strike me with his speed moves. The recruit's name was Zack Fair. He had a medium build, similar to my own. His hair was jet-black, and always in some state of general disarray. Other than that, I didn't really know him that well. He was a good swordsman, though. He had defeated everyone Lt. Carn had put him with, until the instructor stopped putting him up in order to find the true skills of the recruits that couldn't best Zack. The match between Zephyr and I would have determined who would fight Zack next, as we were the only ones who hadn't been defeated yet. That's why my match with Zephyr was so important, and why I was so determined to beat Zephyr and Zack. I wanted to be strong, to be the best, just like General Sephiroth.

My thoughts shifted to that of the famous general. He was Shin-Ra's finest, simply put. He had been in Shin-Ra forever, maybe all his life. He was the youngest ever member of SOLDIER, making the ranks at thirteen. He was incredibly strong and gifted. They said that nothing could defeat him. So when the war between Shin-Ra and Wutai broke out, Sephiroth was made a general of Shin-Ra's armies and sent to fight the ninja warriors of the westernmost continent. He waS the best the world had ever seen, and I had vowed to become as strong as him, if not stronger.

My mind was forced back into the present as the commander of the facility, Captain Trayke, ascended to the podium. Everyone saluted, including the staff and soldiers behind him. He stared out over the recruits, and I took the time to scrutinize him. I knew who he was, but had never seen him up close. Since I was near the front however, I got a very good view of the head of the training compound. He wore a Shin-Ra uniform, with his rank insignia fastened to his collar. He was a little out of shape, having not seen real combat duty for several years. I wasn't sure how old he was, but the sides of his hair were fading into gray. His eyes, gray and piercing, were still sharp, as if he could spot anything wrong in the vast sea of recruits and point the wrongdoer out immediately. When he began speaking, I also noticed a tone in his voice that immediately commanded attention.

"Gentlemen, soldiers of Shin-Ra, today is a glorious day. The infamous ninja clan of Wutai have been defeated. Thirty six hours ago, General Sephiroth and his forces broke through the siege lines in the canyons on the south of the continent. They met little resistance as they approched Wutai itself. As Sephiroth approached the limits Wutai, their leader, Godo Kisaragi, surrendered to the unbeatable might of Shin-Ra!"

His voice cut out as a wave of cheers erupted from nearly every recruit. However, I was devastated. There was my chance, gone in a puff of smoke. I had wanted to join SOLDIER and go to Wutai. I wanted to prove my strength to Sephiroth himself. Now the war was over. Now, Shin-Ra owned the world. There would be no more wars, no more chances at greatness. At that moment, I saw my future. A future as a lowly grunt guarding some piece of Shin-Ra property from people too scared or too dependent on Shin-Ra to even think about attempting sabotage. Not exactly a job I wanted for myself.

As the cheering came to an end, Captain Trayke resumed his speech. "General Sephiroth and his forces are arriving by ship to Junon Port in one hour. A parade procession celebrating our victory and Shin-Ra's glory will begin from there, and will proceed directly to Fort Condor, then from there will make their way to Midgar, and Shin-Ra Headquarters. Until then, you are to prepare yourselves to meet the heroes of the Wutai War. And I must warn you, if any of you embarrass this facility in front of the great General Sephiroth, you will be immediately discharged, dishonorably and with no possibility of ever rejoining. Am I understood?"

Every recruit, myself included, snapped into a salute with a brusk "Yes, sir!" He dismissed the crowd with a wave, and everyone spread out. Most went to their quarters, to put on their best uniform. I headed for the practice area to vent my anger. I picked up a practice sword and began hacking away at a motorized practice dummy, putting all my anger into every stroke. Damn the Wutai! How could they be so weak?! To just surrender like that, just because we had reached their city? And destroy any hope of ever becoming like Sephiroth in the same move! Damn them! Damn them to hell! Damn every last one of those damn ninjas!

As heard the practice room's door slam shut, I spun to see Zack calmly and silently pick up a practice sword, pointing the tip toward me. "What do you want?" I asked, anger still very evident in my voice. "Defend yourself," he said calmly, and lunged.

I parried the attack, and he used the momentum to circle the sword to his other side, and slashed. I blocked, then shoved his sword away. I turned back to the practice dummy, not wanting to be around anyone else. Heavy footsteps reached my ears. I turned, and jumped to the side as Zack attacked again. I backed up out of his immediate reach. "What the hell are you doing?" I demanded. "Training," he replied simply before attacking again. I blocked and blocked, but he never quit. My anger started to reach its limit. I began attacking back. He blocked or parried with ease, as if I was attacking right where he wanted me to. Then his sword flashed out, connecting to my ribs with a smacking sound, and pain shot through my side. I dropped to one knee as I tried to contain the pain. He had hit me with full force! My anger exploded into rage, going beyond all control. I leapt up, unleashing a flurry of attacks that even Zephyr would have stared at in shock. He blocked every strike, every blow. Finally my rage ignited, and I jumped into the air, sword above my head. With a primal cry I slammed the sword down toward my opponent. His attempt to block threw him to the ground, holding his sword horizontaly to hold my sword above his head, away from him. He didn't even look surprised. I spent an instant in confusion. In that instant, I felt his boot connect with my stomach as his legs forced me up. The power he put into that kick flung me into the air as my force on the sword and the focal point of its location made me curve over Zack's head before landing on the ground, landing on my back hard enough to drive the air from my lungs. I felt several vertebrae pop as my movement ceased in less than a fraction of a second.

As I got my wind back, and the pain in my side and my back subsided, I craned my neck up, looking to where Zack was. He had just gotten off of the ground, sword in hand. He picked up my sword, which had left my hands as I flew. He put both swords back onto the rack that held numerous training weapons before turning back to me. He stopped at my side, looking down at me with his head cocked to the side. "Had enough? Or are you still pissed off?" As the words left is lips, I realized I wasn't angry anymore, as if all emotion had just drained from my body after my rough landing. Zack lowered his face closer to mine, gazing at me intently. "You alright?" he asked, studying my face as if I were seriously injured. I nodded, and he reached down with a hand, pulling me to my feet.

"You're good," I stated, dusting myself off, still panting as my lungs tried to recover. Zack shook his head. "Not as good as you could be, if you were in total control."

"What are you talking about?" I asked. "I was in control the whole time." He shook his head again. "No, your anger was in control. It doesn't help to lose control to your emotions. Besides, your emotions can let your opponent get an idea of what you're about to do. It gives him the edge, not you. That's how I got you after you surprised me with that Braver attack you used." I surprised him? Then why did he look so calm right before he kicked me? Then it came to me. He was masking his emotions, not letting me see that I had surprised him. As I realized this, I nodded, then said, "Braver?"

Zack nodded. "Yeah. That's the attack you used to knock me to the floor. How'd you do that? You nearly shattered both our swords." I shook my head. "I don't know. I just sorta... did it." Zack's face cleared itself of all questions. "Ahh, so it was a Limit Break, huh?" "I guess so," I replied.

Two months in, they had explained Limit Breaks. They were techniques that were only used when the fighter had reached a certain point. But it only worked during that time. Once they had used it, they had to work to reach that point again. For some people, it was a techinique that others could use, except more powerful, with almost no chance of blocking or countering. For others, it wasn't a physical attack, but a release of energy. That release could only be controled as it happened, and couldn't be released until the point, called the Limit, was reached again. When it was reached, the energy gathered, allowing one to use the ability, known as a Limit Break. So far, only a handful of recruits had discovered theirs. In my squad, only Zack had, and now I had. Mine was Braver. Zack had used another attack. When he used his, he unleashed a blue beam of energy from a vertical downward slash he made with his sword. It was called Blade Beam. A normal Blade Beam was dangerous enough, but a Limit Break Blade Beam was more dangerous. Once it hit a target, it broke into several smaller beams, which raced out in random directions away from the user. One of Zack's fights had been won by the second wave, since his opponent had jumped out of the path of the big one, which had broken apart after crashing into a wall. One of the smaller beams had struck him in the back, throwing him off the arena platform. It hadn't really hurt him, since the smaller beams had only a fraction of the power of the initial wave.

Zack patted my back as he lead me out of the practice room. "Learn to control and mask your emotions, and you'll kick Zephyr's ass in your sleep with one hand behind your back," he said with a laugh and a smile. "Now get ready for the parade, and see me for practice afterwards, okay?" I nodded, then left in the direction of my quarters, hoping that Zephyr could contain himself during the parade, so we could finish our match and I could kick his ass. That day marked the beginning of my friendship with Zachary Fair.

A/N: Finally, I'm done with this chapter! Sorry I didn't update! For those who care about why I haven't updated for awhile, read on.  
First off, school's a bitch. Especially since finals are coming up, every teacher is cramming as much as possible down your throats in addition to reminding you of all the crap they've shoved into your head throughout the whole year. Secondly, Some games I've been programming have been taking up most of my time, since one of them I want to get finished next week, but it ain't happening. Thirdly, I've been working on some other stories, and talking to prospective co-authors about collaborations stories that should be up and running withing the month. Anyway, I'll try to get Chap. 3 done faster, but if it's not up by May 15 of 07, remind me to get off my ass and hurry up, okay? Anyway, R/R, and tell me what you think. Also, I've got a vote running on which FF7 Character I should focus on for my next FF7 Timeline. All playable characters, and some of the important NPC are open for suggestion, so let me know, alright guys? See you all later!


	3. Duel of the Winds

A/N: As today is my 18th birthday, I've decided to give you guys a present: Chapter 3! Enjoy, and please review. It motivates me to continue the story. Because there's really no point in writing if no one likes it enough to review. Tell me what you think! I need input!

Chapter Three - Duel of the Winds

I met him. The great Sephiroth. He had been riding on a moving platform decorated in his honor. He stood in his black leather coat, boots, and shining pauldrons. He also wore the belt that all SOLDIERs wore, with their emblem cast on it. His long silver hair ruffled in the light breeze blowing through the streets of Junon. His glowing green eyes scanned his surroundings, seeing and noticing everything. Personally, I think he looked bored with the proceedings, but I figured that was normal. I mean, he had just come out of a war, so a parade was bound to be the most boring thing he could do now. But he still played the part of the worshipped hero. He waved, and even smiled every once in a while. He showed particular interest in those who didn't wear their helmets, as if he were memorizing their faces to reprimand them later. Some of the recruits, most of them actually, had removed their helmets as he passed by, shouting for his attention, all proclaiming they were the best at the academy. Some even bore their melee weapons in salute as he passed by. He found more interest in those than any others. Zack, Zephyr, and I had saluted with our weapons, and Sephiroth paid particular attention when he saw Zephyr's sword, most likely since it wasn't Shin-Ra standard issue. Then he shifted his gaze onward as the procession passed onwards. Then they were gone. Within minutes the honor band's music also died away as the group passed out of Junon, and onto the plains beyond. They were going to parade in every populated area between Junon and Fort Condor, then again from Kalm to Midgar, both on the other side of the mountains.

The day after the parade, my interrupted match with Zephyr was scheduled for a rematch. We both rose from bed at the same time, making careful note of the other's movements. If any sign of weakness was shown by either of us, the other would exploit it without mercy. We both knew we were watching each other, so were both careful not to show anything, weakness, emotion, anything. We ate in silence, appraising each other, analyzing our opponent. We both walked together to the practice room, now set up for a sword duel. We both held our swords in a death grip. We both knew what this duel meant. Standing. The victor challenged Zack Fair, and then the top swordsman would duel the best from the other shifts, deciding the best sword fighter in Shin-Ra academy, and therefore the prime candidate for entry into the SOLDIER program, where heroes were made. I would win. I would be the best. So that the incident wouldn't repeat itself. Ever.

We stood facing each other after a five minute period for stretching and excercising. There was no point in losing because of a pulled muscle. We both wanted to be ready, and face each other as equals. We stared at each other from opposite ends of the dueling platform. His glare declared loudly to the world that he would do whatever it took to win. Following Zack's advice from the day before, I reined in my apprehension, excitement, and fear of losing. I pulled it all into myself and projected nothing: the ultimate show of calm. Instantly I felt that fear drain away. The apprehension faded as if it never existed. The excitement dulled to a slight hint of anticipation. With an outward show of calm, almost mirroring what I now felt inside, I assumed the battle stance used by most Shin-Ra soldiers: one leg in front, one behind. My left arm hung on next to my side, balancing the hilt of the sword I supported in my right, which was held in front of me. The sword's point faced out, angling toward my opponent. In a split second, the blade could be turned to block or parry. With no effort at all, the weapon could be swung around to dodge and evade. With just a thought, the sword could flash out, lancing, slicing, cutting.

Zephyr entered his own pose, the same he had used for the fight yesterday. But this time, the sword tip wavered, eager to let fly. The last fight was tense because we had never fought before. It was worse now, because we were matched in that last fight, and no victor had been decided. This fight would be uninterrupted, until a winner was decided. Last time, Zephyr struck first. Now it was my turn. I thought about how I would move as I stared into Zephyr's eyes, each daring the other to strike first. He was watching my eyes as well. Good. I subtly shifted my weight, and in a split second, thrust off my back leg, pushing with my right, sending me to the air for a brief jump. I brought my sword crashing down on his in a non-Limit Braver attack.

He pushed my sword off, backed away, then leapt. He started his speed moves quicker this time, because now I already knew he could move fast. But he still shifted his eyes in the telltale movement that let me block him last time. I blocked every move until he moved away, letting his emotions tell his condition. He was getting frustrated. His eyes smoldered with the beginnings anger. Then he looked right into my eyes before thrusting forward again. This time he struck blindly, watching my eyes. Since he wasn't planning his assault, I was able to block him better, though I almost had to guess where he was going to hit. Then his moves became more focused, and he started to weave around, trying to get through my defenses. As he moved, I thought about his name. Zephyr. It meant 'light wind'. It suited him. His movements flowed like the wind, focusing his pheonix-crested sword into attacks that should have struck me. Then I realized that my strange calm allowed me to concentrate better. I could almost predict his moves.

Then he pulled a reverse, spinning around as if to strike toward my left arm, but his sword arm didn't follow through. Instead, his sword blade appeared from under his right armpit, the tip whistling toward me. I twisted, pushing his sword away with my own weapon. He then completed the turn I though he was originally going to do, bringing the sword toward me again. Before I could move, he jumped into the air, and I could have sworn I saw more of him, shadows. Almost like after-images as he rose into the air, pulling his sword above his head. When he reached the apex of his jump, he seemed to glow, and the shadows faded. He brought the sword down as he fell, almost like a Braver Limit, but different. I put my sword up horizontally to block him, as Zack had done yesterday. The collision of blades rang through the air, and forced me to the ground with the force he had used. Finding myself on my back, I tried hard to keep my surprise show. His eyes showed the brief confusion mine had, and then I saw Zack, in the crowd. He nodded slightly, and I remembered how he had escaped me.

I focused my gaze on Zephyr, seeing his expression change from confusion and surprise to one of victorious gloating. As he began relishing in pinning me to the ground, I placed my boot on his chest, right on the sternum. The look of surprise and confusion was instantly back as I lifted him clear. He flew over my head, dropping his sword as he flipped over, landing on his back, head pointed toward me. He quickly regained his footing, and dodged around me and grabbed his sword, swinging it around as he picked it up. My sword almost left my grip, and I jumped in its direction to avoid losing my balance as I fought to keep the sword in my hands. I hit the ground and rolled, bringing my sword back into position as I resumed my stance. Zephyr faced me again, back into his own stance, panting as he tried to regain the air he'd lost during his harsh landing. "You're better than I thought," was all he said before he charged again, beginning another series of fast attacks. I surprised him as I let loose my own flurry. His look of shock lasted only for an instant, then was gone as he concentrated on blocking my attacks and striking back. Because of our movements while attacking and dodging, we began to wander around the arena, and we soon found ourselves against the opposite wall.

Zephyr slid out of striking distance, and quickly studied the wall. Then he ran for a space between me and the wall. I moved over, blocking the path and holding out my sword to block an attack. Then Zephyr's foot struck the wall at an odd angle, and he was suddenly over my head, slashing at me while at a ninety degree angle to the floor. I blocked, then turned around as Zephyr landed, already swinging the sword at me again. He rushed, and I swung around, avoiding his blade and bringing my own to bear. As he passed, he kept running toward the wall. Then he ran up the wall. I stared in disbelief as he ran along the wall as if it were the floor. He pushed off the wall when he was above my head, and backflipped over me. He landed behind me, thrusting his sword at me.

My parry turned him around as he held onto his sword, his arm pinned at my side. the point of his weapon slid by his ear, aimed at my head. I was forced to release him as I ducked, blocking his sword as he tried to bring it down on me as his thrust failed. I pushed his sword back up, and he lost the grip on his sword. It landed on the other side of the arena, bouncing in the opposite corner of the room before sliding to a rest about thirty feet away. He ducked around me, keeping his attention on me as he moved around me to face his sword without offering his back. I kept my emotions locked down as we glared at one another, waiting for one to make a move. We stood there, waiting. I held the sword, but he would be faster without worrying about hurting himself with his own sword. As soon as he realized that, he moved, moving to duck under my arm. I put out my arm to block him, maybe grab him, but it was a ruse. With the foot that he had slid toward me, he jumped over my opposite shoulder. Out of reflex, my right arm shot up, dropping the sword in the process. My hand closed around an ankle, and Zephyr's face returned to my direction in surprise. As his forward momentum slowed, he fell to the floor, again making a harsh landing that stole away his breath. I quickly picked up my sword, and pressed it against his neck.

The bell rang, and applause erupted, accompanied by cheers and groans. I helped Zephyr to his feet, and he retrieved his sword before offering his hand. Still gasping for air, he managed to get out a few words. "Great... job, Cloud... You beat me... fair and square... Congratulations." I shook his hand firmly, glad that he wasn't bitter about losing to me. I looked toward Zack and saw him grinning, pumping his fist in the air with various praises. I looked around for my instructor, and nearly choked as I saw someone standing next to him, eyes on me. Sephiroth. He had seen me fight. Oh, great. No doubt he was measuring my ability against his own, and finding it woefully lacking. Fear grabbed my throat as he stepped up to me and Zephyr on the platform, no expression visible on his face.

"Impressive display, cadets. Zephyr Winsen and Cloud Strife, correct?" he asked, with a tone that suggested a war between slight interest and complete boredom. We both straightened and saluted sharply. "Yes, sir!" we shouted, as protocol demanded. He waved a hand. "No 'sir' crap, cadets. Believe it or not, I was impressed with the show of skill displayed by both of you."

Our hands dropped, and our eyes widened in shock. If we'd thought about it, our mouths would have probably opened as well. He, the great Sephiroth, was impressed by the swordplay of two young cadets? Surely it wasn't true. But a gleam showed in Sephiroth's eye, a sliver of emotion. "I think I'll have a word with Captain Trayke. You two will be entered into Shin-Ra's SOLDIER program." He looked over his shoulder, looking at Zack. "And you as well, cadet Fair. I've heard quite a bit about your skill."

He turned back to us. "The three of you will be in our newest SOLDIER trainee group. Should you pass, you will become SOLDIERs, the greatest organization in the Shin-Ra military." He paused, thinking a moment. "And if you three take the top spots of the class, I'll have you assigned to me. Skill needs nuture, don't you think?" He turned and exited the room without another word. The three of us stared after us in shock. SOLDIER? And then, his students? Impossible! Finally, I could live my dream. I could join SOLDIER, and prove my worth to Sephiroth, and he'd teach me to be as strong as him. Then I would go back to Nibelheim, and show everyone what I had become. And I'd be able to keep my promise.

A/N: Chap. 3 done! About time, too, as some of you are thinking. From here, I think I'll go more in depth with Cloud's life in Shin-Ra, and not skip forward quite as far. I think I could wring this time period for a little while longer, right guys? Next update should be soon. Have fun!


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